SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1191

“Why Sit Here”

Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, “If the Lord himself should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” … – 2 Kings 7:2

Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? – 2 Kings 7:3

Elisha prophesied that the siege and famine would end within 24 hours and the King’s Captain dismissed the whole idea as preposterous. Meanwhile there were four lepers sitting outside the city gate mulling over their options.

This a story about stepping out in faith and remaining mired in the quicksand of unbelief and indecision. Our lack of faith – our unbelief – questions the truthfulness of God’s Word as the King’s Captain did. How many times have we heard or thought to ourselves: ‘This is impossible’; ‘God does not work like that’; ‘I can never be forgiven’; ‘I’ll never be free from this addiction’; and the ever popular, ‘We have never done it that way before’.

Our faith falters when we look to our own devices and resources and the resources of this world instead of to God. We end up viewing God’s ability by the ability we can muster and define. In essence we put God in a box of our own design and let me tell you that box is always too small.

God loves us enough to work all circumstances for our good and sometimes those circumstances bring us to the point of despair. He will sometimes back us up into a corner in a deep well such that there is only one way to look, and that way is up. Stripped of all our self-reliance we finally look up and pray to our Father who loves us enough to bring us to the end of ourselves and reach out to Him in faith.

The four lepers were at the end of themselves. No matter what they did the potential outcome was that they would die. They reasoned logically that they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by going to the enemy’s camp, so why just sit there?

Why sit steeped in sin? Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, – Acts 3:19

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! – Psalm 34:8

Why sit in a chemically induced stupor? He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. – Psalm 107:14

Why sit in fear? fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand – Isaiah 41:10

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and who makes the Lord his trust. – Jeremiah 17:7-8

Why sit in self-pity? For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think… – Romans 12:3

Why sit in unforgiveness? Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; – Luke 6:37

It has been said that some people prefer the certainty of misery to the misery of uncertainty. This was the case with the King’s Captain. We can second guess God’s Word and suffer from analysis paralysis unable or unwilling to take steps of faith in response to God’s Word and His call upon our lives.

Why are you just sitting there? What holds you back? Is it fear of failure, ridicule, lack of confidence, unworthiness?

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. So, we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” – Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 13:6

Jesus asked the man paralyzed for 8 years if he wanted to be healed. It was a question that required a yes or no answer. The man responded with excuses as to why he was not healed. He viewed his healing through the box of resources he had defined. But when Jesus told him to take up his mat and walk, he did so immediately.

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. – John 5:6-9

Why are you just sitting there? What is God calling you to do or receive from Him? Where is He asking you to go?

Pray for the Holy Spirit to speak clearly to your heart through His Living Word and then take the steps of faith as He directs.

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. – Isaiah 30:21